


All of It

by Apriscottie



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 09:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13005138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apriscottie/pseuds/Apriscottie
Summary: Honestly, this is so far deviant from the source material, it's a wonder it counts as fanfic. Inspired by a role play AU where Riku is a fairy prince and Axel is the dragon protector of the kingdom, the whole thing kinda just grew and this is sorta just a transitional point between major arcs of the AU. Though you might not believe me when you finish. Heh...





	All of It

No one really saw it coming. No one even saw what caused it. But suddenly, there was a wave of heat and light and sound washing over the kingdom. It brought only destruction and death, setting everything in its path ablaze. No one within the kingdom saw it coming. Few on higher ground had time to escape.

 

\---

 

Becard had just finished with a client. Assuming he could walk after, he always liked going out to the cave entrance of the Guardian’s castle to look out over the seemingly small hobble of houses and shops, all overlooked by the menacing palace that housed the king and his daughter. Now though, he was aware the former crown prince was down there as well,trying to make peace with his family.

 

Becard didn't like it, but he knew it was important to the prince. His sister would side with him even if his father turned against him. Everything would be okay. He only wished perhaps the Guardian was around to protect his mate should something go wrong. For all the support the princess could offer, neither could particularly do much against the king. A dragon however, well that was another story.

 

But the Guardian was out, likely doing his job as protector of the kingdom. Many a foul beast surrounded this land. Only a dragon came close to being large enough to ward them off should they threaten the kingdom.

 

“Becard, dearest, come back inside. It's cold out.” It was Jane, one of his beloveds, along with the prince, the Guardian, and one more girl from the brothel, Mala. She was wrapped in a shawl, but otherwise naked, and came out to stand beside him. “Staring at the palace isn't going to make him come home any faster, love.”

 

Becard sighed. “I know. I just worry something might go wrong.” He pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her.

 

“He'll be fine. The king knows he'd incur the wrath of the Guardian if he did anything.”

 

Becard hummed and closed his eyes and they stood like that in silence for a few minutes before Jane spoke again.

 

“What's that?”

 

His eyes flicked open and out in the distance beyond the kingdom, he had to squint his eyes at the bright light that had just entered the sky. It outshone the sun and moved ever closer to the horizon. His eyes narrowed and he gripped Jane tight, drawing her back into the castle. “I don't know, but I'm going to warn the others.”

 

She nodded and let him leave, staring out to watch. It was mesmerizing almost and she hardly took notice to the growing flurry of activity behind her. If it wasn't for others bumping up against her in their rush to see what Becard warned them of and evacuate, she'd not have noticed them at all. 

 

“Jane! Jane, we must leave now!” 

 

She turned and saw the brothel owner, Ran, running to grab her. “Father? Why, what is that out there?” 

 

The old faerie shifted his gaze from her to the bright light. “It's death, dear and our only hope to survive it is to escape. Now, please, hurry. We must fly away from here as fast as we can.”

 

“What? No! Riku, he's still in the kingdom. I must find him!” She shrugged out of her shawl, not caring that she was naked, and prepared to fly down to the palace.

 

But Ran held her fast, not letting her. “There's no time! We must go while we still can.”

 

“No!” She was screaming now and tried to wrench from his grip. “No, they don't know what's coming! I have to go get Riku!” He was old, but strong and kept his grip on her wrist, dragging her back. “Let me go! Riku!”

 

He pulled her into his arms and started to drag her then, struggling against her. 

 

Tears flowed down her cheeks as she kicked and screamed. She needed to warn Riku. She needed to get him out of there. He'd die if she didn't. 

 

But she wasn't strong enough to break Ran’s grip and was dragged back. Her breath heaved as she kept her gaze locked on the palace. “ _Riku!_ _RIKU!!_ ” He had to hear her. He had to. She couldn't go to him, but he had to make it out alive. Please, just let him make it out alive.

 

It didn't take long for the light to touch the horizon and the resulting plume to reach the kingdom. It came roaring at them and Jane watched on in horror from the caravan that she'd gotten swept up into, tied to a cart because she wouldn't stop struggling. Ran was right. It was death. It swept over the kingdom and didn't stop, but hit the mountain of the Guardian's castle, sending tremors all through the earth as the kingdom burned like kindling. 

 

Sobs wracked her body and the fight went from her. No. It was gone. All gone. Riku. Gods please let him survive. Please let him find them. 

 

She was at the back of the caravan, but they'd gotten so far that by time the wave reached them, it was little more than a gust of hot air, it's energy spent. That was when Ran decided it was safe to stop for now. By time Mala and Becard found her, she was doubled over, sobbing into the dirt.

 

They flitted to her and swept her into their arms, joining in her tears for their lost love. 

 

Mala hugged her tight, arms around her shoulders and hair in her face while Becard unbound her wrists. 

 

“He's- gone. Our Prince- I couldn't- I couldn't warn him- couldn't get him out- He's gone!” She clung to Mala as Becard hugged them both. 

 

Mala weeped over her, silent as she tried to staunch her tears in Jane's hair. Meanwhile, Becard wouldn't let himself cry, just held onto them, heart aching for their loss.

 

Mala sniffled. “Does anyone know what has become of Guardian?” 

 

Becard shook his head. “I've already asked around. No one's seen him since he left this morning.”

 

“He has to be okay,” Jane said. “He's a giant dragon. Surely, he's survived this.”

 

Becard pressed his lips. “I'm not certain his size would save him from this, Jane… I saw what it did to the beasts. Everything from here to the source is barren. Nothing moved.”

 

Jane's heart sank. “B-but surely he could escape it as we did. He's faster than any fae. Which direction did he go this morning?”

 

“I-I don't know… He might be alive, but gods know where he is.”

 

“Surely, he'll find us,” Mala said. “I'm certain.” 

 

Becard nodded. “Yes, he will.” The trio looked up as soft, grey flakes, like snow almost, started to drift from the sky

 

“Father says we need to keep moving.” Another brothel fae. “It's not safe to stay this close to the desolation.”

 

Jane's lip trembled but she nodded. “Okay... “

 

\---

 

The dragon felt the rumble of the earth beneath his feet whilst in the middle of a clash with a beast that had wandered too close to the kingdom of his charge. He shoved it back and bit down into its neck, killing it instantly. He didn't like doing that but it wasn't backing down and now he had other things to worry about.

 

Once it stopped moving, Axel stepped back and searched the landscape. He didn't see anything and so took off into the sky to search. The tremors concerned him and he wanted to make sure all was well in his kingdom.

 

It didn't take long for him to start seeing the greater damage the quake had had on the landscape. It cracked the ground, opening up growing chasms the farther he went and the closer to home he got. He picked up his pace, no longer content to just ride updrafts. Soon though, it wasn't just the destruction of a large quake. Fires blazed through the plains and forests, beasts dead on the ground and burned alive. He dropped from the sky and investigated, growling low. What could have caused this?

 

As he got into the mountains, the field of destruction didn't eb. It only got worse and he felt his heart beginning to pound in his chest. He bolted forward and soared into the kingdom, low over the ground. 

 

He took it all in, eyes wide in shock and horror. He roared out and shrunk down into his human form, running to his castle. But he couldn't get in. The tremors had completely collapsed it. “No… _No!_ ” He grew again to tear at the rubble and boulders, but couldn't make the largest of them budge. He roared out, slamming bodily against the stones, trying to make them move, but they were more secure now than they had been before. 

 

Breath heaving, he swiveled. The palace. Riku was going there today. Maybe…

 

He flew down to the palace and transformed again, sprinting inside. A fine layer of ash dusted everything, including the charred bodies of the servants. He stumbled to a stop and searched. No, they were only servants. Surely, the royal family could survive this. Their magic had to keep them alive. Right? 

 

But all he kept finding were more and more bodies, charred to a crisp. It took about an hour of searching, but he finally found what he'd been hoping to avoid. On the finger of one of the fae, barely shining through the soot and ash, was a gold ring, inlaid with a rainbow of jewels. Riku’s promise ring. The ring Axel had given him from his hoard.

 

His knees shook and he collapsed, sending up a cloud of ash around him… 

 

\---

 

It was said that his screams of anguish could be heard for miles and that they lasted for days. Though it can't be certain who exactly said that. The ones who mattered the most could not hear him.

 

And so he slept… for one million years, he did not stir, weighted down by the despair of his loss. 

 

When finally he did awake, it was to a whole new world. Where once his kingdom stood beneath his mountain, was naught but a forested beach. It had been the lapping of the tide against his face, threatening to drown him, that woke him up in a sputter of gasps and heavy breathing to clear his airways. 

 

It was gone. All of it. Even the magic of the fae, creatures he once thought eternal, was snuffed from this world. And when he tried to grow into his larger dragon form, he found himself stunted at a mere bastard half form and his heart wrenched again. Was this all that was left of the magic? 

  
By the gods, he hoped not.


End file.
